Combination can opener and pouring spout



y 1951 w. B. COSDON 2,551,099

COMBINATION CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT Filed Feb. 5, 1947 FIG.2

INVENTOR. W. B. COSDON ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1951 COMBINATION CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUI Walter B Cosdon, Arlington, Va. Application February 5, 1947, Serial No. 726,508

This invention relates to culinary utensils and more particularly to improvements in hand tools for opening sealed containers, such as conventional metal cans and the like. I

The invention is directed primarily toa combined can-opening tool and pouring spout so constructed that it can be used to rcseal the contents of the container from the outside air "after it has been opened.

such devices have failed to make a sufficiently tight joint or seal with the can to prevent leakage when the contents of the can are poured out, and to prevent circulation of air which oxidizes certain types of liquid contents or reduces the quality.

Also prior devices have been expensive, difiicult to apply, or insert into the can and did not solidly adhere to the containers.

Another objection to prior art devices is their bulkiness or the fact that they projected substantially beyond the end area of the can, require excessive space, and are subject to upsetting. This is an important feature, particularly where the device is used with' containers for food products, such as canned fruit juices, milk, syrups, baby foods, oils, etc., which are stored in the refrigerator and the contents are removed at intervals.

It is an object of the invention to provide a combination can opener and pouring spout which can be easily applied and when in place will be solidly attached and form an effective seal for the can during agitation or storing, but of a character to permit the contents to be freely poured therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination can opener and pouring spout of 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-81) Fig. 2, a top plan view of the detachable handle and a fragmentary portion of the device I with which the handle engages;

Fig. 3, a side elevation of the device applied, the handle being in the process of removal;

Fig. 4, the rear elevation showing the device;

Fig. 5, a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6, a side elevation of a preferred form of the invention applied; and

Fig. I, a fragmentary detailed perspective of a handle used with the device of Fig. 6.

With continued reference to the drawing, the improved combination can opening and pouring device comprises a curved tubular member ID, a detachable handle I i, and a detachable closure cap l2.

The tubular member I0 is preferably substantially circular in cross section and is curved in substantially semi-circular shape. portion of this member gradually increases from its smaller end {3 toward its larger end M, how'- ever, notwithstanding the fact that the center line of the member is substantially arcuat-e, the curved lines defining the outer side of the member, the center line, and the inner side do not necessarily have the same centers of curvature. The smaller end I3 is provided with external threads l5 upon which the closure cap i2 is threaded to close or seal the tubular member. The opposite or larger endof the tubular member is extended to form a piercing or can-puncturing point 16 from which cutting edges extend across the end of the member. The extended end portion M is provided with apertures l1 and I8, preferably of triangular shape to provide openings of maximum area while leaving sufiicient material to provide adequate strength for the can puncturing end portion of this device. These apertures provide passages through which the can contents may pour from the can through the interior of the tubular member I ll.

A lever arm I9 i secured to the tubular member and extends outwardly from the inner side thereof substantially at the junction of the curved inner side of the tubular member and the can cutting edges of the larger end of theQmember. This lever arm I 9 is provided with a struckout depending portion or tang 20, the end of which is located adjacent to the center of curvatureor the center line of the tubular member and with a can piercing or puncturing point 2| disposed between the point [6 of the tubular member and the side of the large end of the tubular member diametrically opposite the point The tubular I6. This lever arm I9 occupies a substantially radial position relative to the center line of the tubular member and i provided at its outer end with an outwardly projecting tongue 22 providing an operative attachment for the handle member II.

The handle H is conveniently formed from a fiatstrip or bar of metal and has in one end a notch 23 of substantially the same size as the tongue 22 on the lever member [9, and lateral extensions 24 and 25 at the sides of the tongue.

The manner in which the handle H is oper atively engaged with the lever arm l9 isshown in Fig. 3 wherein the tongue 22 of the lever arm extends through the notch 23 in the handle and the lateral extensions 24 and 25 of the handle overlie shoulders of the lever arms disposed one at each side of the tongue. This connection is such that when the member I is properly positioned on a can, upward force on the outer end of the handle will pivot or rotate the member [0 in a can puncturing direction.

Preferably the larger can puncturing end of the member I0 is provided with a transverse end wall 26 having an opening 21 therein adjacent the secondary can-puncturing point 2|.

A vent tube 28 is provided inside the tubular member ID and extends from the smaller end l3 to an opening 29 in the wall of the tubular member at the outer side thereof, the location of this opening being such as to place it just within the end wall of the can when the device is in its fully operative position as illustrated in Fig. 3.

In using the device the end of tang 20 is first engaged under the rim 30, with the point It resting upon the outer surface of the end wall 33- of the can. The handle II is then connected by passing the tongue 22 on the lever arm l9 through the notch 23 on the end of the handle and, while holding the member ID in position and preventing movement of the can, the outer end of the handle I I is raised, pivoting or rotating the member In about the point of engagement of the tang 20 with the can rim 30. When sufiicient upward pressure is applied to the handle I I the can puncturing point I6 is forced through the end of the can end wall and a substantially triangular shaped section of the can'end wall 3|, is bent downwardly from the remainder of the wall as the member ID is rotated. The member ID is rotated until the point l6 comes into contact with the inner surface of the side wall 32 of the can. The device then in its fully operative position with the end I3 substantially within the projected area of the can end wall 33 and the outer end of lever arm l9 also substantially within this area.

While the member ID is generally circular in cross section, as stated above, the can puncturing end extension I4 is tapered inwardly toward the point l6, as shown in Fig. and the end of the member is displaced from a position radial of the center line of the member sufficiently to give it a substantially tri-angular shape; this shape being further provided by the attachment of the flat lever arm I!) to the member at the inner side of this larger end of the member. In order to provide a fluid-tight seal between the inner side of the canpuncturing end of the member l0 and the can, a gasket member 34 of suitableresilient material, such as rubber or synthetic rubber, is secured in position to extend across the underside of the lever arm l9 adjacent the end of tang 20.

The shape of the extendedeend portion 14 of 4 the member I0 is such that, as the member is rotated to its fully operative position as shown in Fig. 3 the size of the opening provided in the can end wall 33 is slightly enlarged, and the edges of this end wall are bent slightly downwardly, as indicated at 35 in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the edges of the opening in the can end wall closely fit the sides of the member ID at the location of the end wall and provide a substantially fluid tight connection around the member l0 joining the ends of the fluid tight connection provided by the gasket 34.

As the member ID is rotated about the point of engagement between the tang 20 and the can rim '30, the secondary can puncturing point 21 is 'forced through the inwardly bent portion 3! of the can end wall .to provide therein an opening 36. This opening 36 will permit any portion of the can contents trapped behind the member 3| to flow through the aperture 21 in end wall 26 to the interior of the tubular member 10.

e 'As stated above, when the. device is in the proper operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, the inner end opening 29 of the vent tube 28 is disposed immediately Within the punctured end wall of the can so that air may flow through this tubular vent and into the space in the can above the can contents as the contents are poured through the spout, thereby providing a free flow of pourable contents from the can. When the can is tilted to pour contents therefrom, the smaller end 13 of the tubular member will be spaced sufficiently from the can so that material from within the can can be conveniently poured into a receptacle and the shape of this end portion of the tubular member is such as to accurately direct a free flow of the can contents downwardly into a receptacle provided to receive them.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 6, and consists of a body having a piercing point 46, and diverging cutting edges 4|, terminating in a ledge or shoulder 42 adapted to rest on the rim 3!! of the can and pierce the end wall 33 thereof.

The body of the device is hollow and is provided with one or more openings 43 for admitting the pourable contents of the can into the body so that such contents may be poured from the can through the discharge nozzle 44. The wall of the nozzle 44 and. exterior of the body of the device is substantially cylindrical and the side surfaces of the body curve from such cylindrical portion and meet in a line or thin arc 45 in which.

the piercing point 40 is disposed.

The distance from the piercing point to the shoulder or ledge 42 is slightly less than the distance from such shoulder to a point in the are spaced from such piercing point so that when the device is supported upon the rim of a can and rotated about such rim the piercing point 40 will first pierce the end wall 33 of the can and the cutting edges 4| will continue to cut the can as the body of the device is forced into the opening thus obtained. Since the body increases in thickness from the piercing point, the opening cut in the end wall of the can is completely filled by the body. Consequently, with the cap IE on the end of the discharge spout, the contents of the can can be agitated for mixing without spilling the contents.

In order to apply the device, a handle 43 may be employed; such handle preferably having a finger or tang 41 struck therefrom and having a curvedend 48 for engaging the neck or body of the device between the shoulder or ledge 42 and the threads l5 around the exterior of the nozzle 44 or the discharge end of the pouring spout. It will be apparent when the handle is placed with its curved extremity in the position just described, with the finger or tang M engaged under the rim of the can and the handle swung upwardly in an are about the shoulder 42, the piercing point 40 will rupture the end wall 33 of the can and the cutting edges M will continue the severance until the device is in position whereupon the handle can be removed.

When it is desired to remove the device from the can, the handle is placed in the same position and the operation reversed. The extremity of the handle can be engaged with the threads l5, and the handle swung downwardly to remove the device from the can, or else the device can be struck a lateral blow on the opposite portion from the discharge spout and the device dislodged, enabling it to be readily removed.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined can openingand pouring device comprising a tubular body portion having an arcuate axis, said body portion terminating in a pouring spout at one extremity, a transverse end wall closing the opposite extremity of said body portion, said end wall being concave in the direction of said arcuate axis at said extremity and being provided with peripheral edges converging away from said spout to a piercing point, a lateral projection on said body portion adjacent the extremity of said end wall nearest said spout, said projection extending in the direction of said spout and having a surface rockably engageable with the rim of a can, said body portion being provided with apertures providing access tothe interior thereof, and lever engaging means on said body portion located adjacent said lateral projection.

2. A combined can opening and pouring device as set forth in claim 1 where said lateral projection comprises a lever arm extending from said body portion in the direction of said spout, and a tang on said lever arm for rockably engaging the rim of a can.

3. A combined can opening and pouring device as set forth in claim 1 where said lateral projection comprises a lever arm extending from said body portion in the direction of said spout, a tang on saidlever arm for rockably engaging the rim of a can, and lever engaging means on the outer extremity of said lever arm.

4. A combined can opening and pouring device as set forth in claim 1 where said transverse end wall is provided with an upstruck point providing an aperture communicating with the interior of said body portion.

5. A combined can opening and pouring device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body portion is provided with an air inlet tube extending from said spout and communicating with the outer surface of said body portion.

6. A combined can opening and pouring device as set forth in claim 1 where said body portion is provided with a lever engaging recess located adjacent said lateral projection and on the side thereof nearest said spout.

WALTER B. COSDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 547,370 Chalefou Oct. 1, 1895 1,465,617 Shatz Aug. 21, 1923 1,954,251 Lofgren Apr. 10, 1934 2,069,984 Uppercy et al Feb. 9, 1937 2,131,631 Lackstrom et a1. Sept. 27, 1938 2,160,705 McManus et a1. May 30, 1939 2,184,632 Clawson Dec. 26, 1939 

